How to Block Websites on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and Routers

Blocking websites gets messy fast when the block only works in one browser or disappears the moment someone switches devices. The right setup depends on the target: one website, one child account, one computer, or every device on your Wi-Fi.

Start with the built-in controls first, then move to browser extensions, DNS, router filters, or a hosts-file block when you need a wider net.

1. Start with Screen Time on iPhone or iPad

For iPhone and iPad, Screen Time is the built-in way to block specific websites by URL.

1. 1.Open Settings.
2. 2.Tap Screen Time.
3. 3.Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
4. 4.Turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
5. 5.Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
6. 6.Tap Web Content.
7. 7.Choose Limit Adult Websites.
8. 8.Under Never Allow, tap Add Website.
9. 9.Enter the website URL.

For a locked-down child setup, choose Only Approved Websites instead, then add the sites the child is allowed to open. To cut off easy browser switching, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps & Features and turn off Safari. Then open iTunes & App Store Purchases and set Installing Apps to Don’t Allow.

2. Block sites on a Mac with Screen Time

1. 1.Open the Apple menu.
2. 2.Choose System Settings.
3. 3.Click Screen Time.
4. 4.Open Content & Privacy.
5. 5.Turn on Content & Privacy.
6. 6.Go to App Store, Media, Web, & Games.
7. 7.Open Safari.
8. 8.Choose Limit Adult Websites.
9. 9.Click Customize.
10. 10.Add the restricted websites.

For a child account, select the child from the Family Member menu before changing the Screen Time settings.

3. Use website time limits when a full block is too much

A time limit works best for distracting sites you still need occasionally.

On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Screen Time > App Limits > Add Limit > Websites, add the website, set the time limit, and use a Screen Time Passcode so the limit stays enforced.

On Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Screen Time > App Limits, add or edit a website limit, select the website, turn on Block at end of limit, then choose Done. Set the limit very low when you want the site blocked for practical day-to-day use.

4. Lock down kids accounts with Family Safety or Family Link

Microsoft Family Safety handles child website blocking in Edge.

1. 1.Open the Microsoft Family Safety app and select the family member.
2. 2.Open Content filters, then add the sites to allow or block.

On the web, the steps differ:

1. 1.Sign in at account.microsoft.com.
2. 2.Select Family Safety from the left menu.
3. 3.Find the family member, open the More menu, then choose Go to overview.
4. 4.Select Edge as a platform.
5. 5.Turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches.
6. 6.Add the domain under Blocked Sites or Allowed sites.

For a stricter setup, turn on Only use allowed websites. Then open Apps and games, select any extra browser app, and choose Block app. Microsoft’s web and search filters only apply when the family member uses Microsoft Edge while signed into their Microsoft account.

Google Family Link works with supervised child Google Accounts in Chrome.

1. 1.Open the Family Link app.
2. 2.Select the child.
3. 3.Tap Controls.
4. 4.Open Google Chrome and Web.
5. 5.Tap Manage sites.
6. 6.Use Approved sites and Blocked sites.
7. 7.Tap Add a website and enter the website or domain.

For broader filtering, choose Allow all sites, Try to block explicit sites, or Only allow approved sites. Use Family Link app controls to block browser apps the child should not use.

5. Add a website blocker to Chrome Firefox or Safari

Extensions are the quickest fix when you only need blocking inside one browser on a computer.

• Chrome - Open the Chrome Web Store, choose a website-blocking extension such as BlockSite, click Add to Chrome, then manage it from More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Chrome extensions do not install on mobile Chrome.
• Firefox - Open Add-ons and themes, choose Extensions, install a blocker add-on such as LeechBlock NG or Block Site, then add blocked sites in the add-on preferences.
• Safari on iPhone or iPad - Install a content blocking app from the App Store, then open Settings > Apps > Safari > Extensions and turn on the blocker.
• Safari on Mac - Open Safari > Settings > Extensions and select the extension checkbox. For per-site controls, open Safari > Settings > Websites > Content Blockers.

Extensions protect the browser where they are installed. Use Screen Time, Family Link, Family Safety, DNS, router controls, or the hosts file when the block needs to survive browser switching.

6. Filter websites with DNS or router controls

Use DNS or router filtering when the goal is to cover several devices on the same network. These tools block domains or categories, not every individual page URL.

• Android Private DNS - Open Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS > Private DNS provider hostname, enter family-filter-dns.cleanbrowsing.org, then tap Save.
• Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 for Families - Set the device or router DNS to 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2 for malware blocking, or 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3 for malware plus adult-content blocking.
• OpenDNS - Use FamilyShield for preconfigured adult-content filtering, or use OpenDNS Home for customizable filtering after sign-up.
• CleanBrowsing - Choose Family Filter, then set its DNS on the router or device.
• NextDNS - Open the NextDNS dashboard, create or select a configuration, add domains under Denylist, then use Privacy, Security, and Parental Control for broader filtering.

Router apps give you another path. In eero Plus, open Home > Security & privacy > Network controls > Block & Allow Sites > Add Blocked Site, enter the domain, turn on the Network toggle, then tap Save. For a profile, open Home, choose the profile, open Block & Allow Sites, tap Add Blocked Site, enter the domain, and tap Save.

NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls uses Parental Controls > profile > Settings > Apps & Websites or Categories, where you set content as Not Allowed. TP-Link HomeShield puts controls under the Parental Controls or Family tab. ASUS Router app users can open Family, select a level, create a group, and adjust the group settings.

7. Edit the hosts file for one computer

The hosts file is an advanced computer-level block. It maps unwanted domains to 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0 on that machine.

• Windows - Run Notepad as administrator, open %WinDir%\System32\Drivers\Etc\hosts, add the domain mappings, and save the file with no extension.
• Mac - Open Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal, run sudo nano /private/etc/hosts, add the mappings, then save.
• Linux - Edit /etc/hosts as root and map unwanted domains to 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0.

This method is less friendly than Screen Time, Family Link, Family Safety, router filtering, or DNS filtering. VPNs, encrypted DNS, direct IP use, and apps with their own network path bypass it.

8. Skip settings that are not real website blockers

Some security settings are useful, but they are not custom block lists. In Safari, Block Pop-ups and Fraudulent Website Warning deal with pop-ups and known fraudulent sites. In Edge, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and Website typo protection warn about unsafe or lookalike sites. In Chrome, Safe Browsing blocks or warns about unsafe sites. In Firefox, Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks trackers, scripts, and cookies.

Do not look for Chrome Apps on Mac, Windows, or Linux for website blocking. Google no longer offers that install path. Also skip any tutorial that claims regular adult Chrome or Firefox has a simple built-in custom website block list. Use Family Link, Family Safety, extensions, DNS, router filtering, Screen Time, or the hosts file instead.

9. Check managed browser policies at work or school

Work and school devices use administrator policies for website filtering. Edge supports URLBlocklist and URLAllowlist, Chrome and ChromeOS support URL Blocking policies, and Firefox supports WebsiteFilter through enterprise policy templates.

To check Edge or Chrome policy status on a managed computer, open edge://policy or chrome://policy. Personal settings do not override organization-managed website blocks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to block websites on an iPhone?

Use Screen Time. Open Settings, then Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, App Store, Media, Web, & Games, Web Content, Limit Adult Websites, and add the URL under Never Allow.

Can I block every website except approved ones?

Yes. On iPhone or iPad, Screen Time has Only Approved Websites. In Microsoft Family Safety, use Only use allowed websites. In Google Family Link, choose Only allow approved sites for a supervised child account.

Can Safari block websites without Screen Time?

Safari supports content blocker extensions, Block Pop-ups, and Fraudulent Website Warning. For a custom website deny-list on iPhone, use Screen Time’s Web Content restrictions.

Why does a blocked website still open on another browser?

A browser extension only controls the browser where it is installed. To cover browser switching, use Screen Time, Family Safety app blocking, Family Link app controls, DNS filtering, router controls, or managed device policy.

Can I block websites from Siri web results?

Yes, for Siri web-search content. Open Settings, Screen Time, Content & Privacy Restrictions, Intelligence & Siri, Web Search Content, then choose the restriction. This limits Siri web-search content, not every browser.